GB1576978A

GB1576978A - Attachment device for securing structural members to a chain

Info

Publication number: GB1576978A
Application number: GB9233/78A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: RUD Kettenfabrik Rieger und Dietz GmbH and Co KG
Current assignee: RUD Kettenfabrik Rieger und Dietz GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 1977-03-08
Filing date: 1978-03-08
Publication date: 1980-10-15
Also published as: DE2710550A1; IT7852967V0; US4161100A; DE2710550C3; IT7867425A0; IT1111434B; FR2383097B3; NL7802315A; FR2383097A1; ES243470U; ES243470Y; BE864626A; ATA136178A; DE2710550B2; AT356978B; SU680668A3

Description

PATENT SPECIFICATION ( 11) 1 576 978 ( 21) Application No 9233/78 ( 31) (

33) ( 44) ( 51) ( 52) ( 22) Filed 8 Mar 1978 ( 19) Convention Application No 2710550 ( 32) Filed 8 Mar 1977 in Fed Rep of Germany (DE)

Complete Specification Published 15 Oct 1980

INT CL 3 F 16 G 13/12 Index at Acceptance F 2 Q 34 ( 54) ATTACHMENT DEVICE FOR SECURING STRUCTURAL MEMBERS TO A CHAIN ( 71) We, RUD-KETTENFABRIK RIEGER & DIETZ GMBH & CO, a Com- pany organised under the laws of the Federal Republic of Germany, of 7080 Aalen 1, Fed- eral Republic of Germany, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed to be particularly described in and by the following statement:

The invention relates to an attachment device for securing structural parts to a chain strand of the kind in which two clamping members are clamped across the two arms of a chain link by a bolt which penetrates through the link, the side portions of the clamping members clamping the arms of the link between them, the bolt also serving for attaching the structural part to the chain strand.

Such a device is already known from the German Patent Specification No 952 878 and is not entirely satisfactory because it is not reliably centred with respect to the chain link to which it is attached There is a risk that when the device is being attached to the chain, the clamping members assume incor- rect positions, with the consequence that uneven loads are applied to the chain links which are attached to the link carrying the attachment device.

The risk can be obviated by giving the clamping members centering projections, as shown in the British Patent Specification No.

1 442 614, but this is useful only to a limited extent, because it is not possible to use attachment devices of the same size with chain links of the same bar diameter but of different internal lengths.

One object of the present invention is to provide an attachment device of the kind mentioned above but which is equipped with means for ensuring that it is always correctly positioned, even with respect to chain links of different internal lengths.

Accordingly, the invention provides an attachment device for securing structural parts to a chain strand, in which two clamping members are clamped across the two arms of a link of the chain strand by a bolt which penetrates through the link, the side portions of the clamping members clamping the arms of the link between them, the bolt also serv- ing for attaching the structural part to the chain strand, the attachment device consist- ing of the aforesaid two clamping members and a bolt and being characterised in that, located between the two clamping members, the bolt supports a replaceable centering piece which has end walls which are intended to lie in contact with the curved ends of two adjacent chain links of the chain strand, which engage with the chain link to which the attachment device is to be secured, the cen- tering piece serving to space apart such adja- cent chain links.

The attachment device according to the invention has the advantage that during assembly it always assumes exactly the same position with respect to the chain link to which it is attached without it being neces- sary for the operator to make measurements to ensure this Adaptation to a link of differ- ent internal length is obtained simply by replacing the centering piece with a different one, the other parts of the attachment device remaining the same.

The invention will now be described in greater detail on the basis of the two exam- ples represented in the drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of the attachment device; Figure 2 is a plan view showing the lower clamping member and the centering piece of the attachment device of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a side view of a second version of the attachment device; and Figure 4 is a plan view showing the lower clamping member and the centering piece of the attachment device of Figure 3.

Figure 1 shows two clamping members 1 1,576,978 and 2 which are held firmly in contact, by a bolt 3 and a nut 4, with the two arms 5, 6 of a round steel chain link 7, which connects together two chain links 8, 9, all links form- ing parts of a chain strand of a chain con- veyor.

The attachment device is centered bet- ween the arms of the chain link 7 by a replaceable centering piece 10, through which the bolt 3 penetrates The centering piece 10 has two flat sides 11, 12 and two curved end walls 13, 14 opposite the curved ends of the chain links 8, 9.

In practice, clamping members 1, 2 of the same dimensions can be used with chain links of different bar diameters Different internal lengths in the chain links are compensated by using different centering pieces To prevent excessive abrasion of the curved ends of the outer chain links 8, 9 the centering piece is made of a resilient plastic or of a bearing bronze.

The version shown in Figures 3 and 4 dif- fers from the version of Figures 1 and 2 only in that the centering piece is different All other parts therefore retain the same index numbers as they have in Figures 1 and 2.

In the second version of the attachment device the centering piece is a substantially U-shaped spring 15 with inwards-bent spring ends 16, 17 thrusting resiliently inwards against the shaft of bolt 3 and, substantially parallel to these, outer arms 18, 19 which thrust resiliently outwards against the curved ends of the outer chain links 8, 9 It should be observed that both versions of the attach- ment device automatically centre the clamp- ing members 1, 2 when the attachment device is being installed in the chain strand.

By using a centering piece 15 which grips the bolt 3 tightly enough, the bolt with the centering piece and the lower clamping member 2 can be put together to form a pre-assembled unit, to facilitate insertion of the attachment device into the chain strand.

Claims

WHAT WE CLA'IM IS:

1 An attachment device for securing structural parts to a chain strand, in which two clamping members are clamped across the two arms of a link of the chain strand by a bolt which penetrates through the link, the side portions of the clamping members clamping the arms of the link between them, the bolt also serving for attaching the struc- tural part to the chain strand, the attachment device consisting of the aforesaid two clamping members and a bolt and being character- ised in that, located between the two clamp- ing members, the bolt supports a replaceable centering piece which has end walls which are intended to lie in contact with the curved ends of two adjacent chain links of the chain strand which engage with the chain link to which the attachment device is to be secured, the centering piece serving to space apart such adjacent chain links.

2 An attachment device according to claim 1, characterised in that the centering piece is a sleeve with flat side walls.

3 An attachment device according to 70 claim 2, characterised in that the centering piece is made at least in part of a flexible material.

4 An attachment device according to claim 2, characterised in that the centering 75 piece is made at least in part of an anti- friction bearing material.

An attachment device according to claim 1, characterised in that the centering piece consists of a substantially U-shaped 80 spring with inwards-bent spring ends.

6 An attachment device according to claim 1, characterised in that the centering piece frictionally grips the shaft of the bolt.

7 An attachment device according to 85 claim 1, characterised in that the two clamp- ing members have the same shape.

8 A device for securing structural mem- bers to a chain substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompany 90 ing drawings.

9 An attachment device according to claim 1 in combination with links in a chain strand to which it is affixed, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the 95 accompanying drawings.

HYDE, HEIDE & O'DONNELL 2 Serjeants' Inn London EC 4 Y i LL Chartered Patent Agents 100 Agents for the Applicants Printed for Her Majesty's Stationery Office, by Croydon Printing Company Limited, Croydon, Surrey, 1980.

Published by The Patent Office, 25 Southampton Buildings, London, WC 2 A l AY, from which copies may be obtained.